INFILTRATION
DEFINITION
Infiltration
-the flow of water into the ground through the soil surface
-the downward entry of water into the soil or rock surface
Unit: usually inches per hour or millimeters per hour
SIGNIFICANCE OF INFILTRATION
Recharging groundwater
Maintaining soil moisture
Reducing surface runoff
Purifying water
Mitigating droughts
INFILTRATION VS PERCOLATION
Infiltration
-the entry of water into the soil surface
Percolation
-the downward movement of water through the soil or rock layers
FACTORS THAT AFFECT INFILTRATION
Precipitation
Baseflow
Soil Characteristics
Soil Saturation
Land Cover
Slope of the land
Evapotranspiration
INFILTRATION RATE & INFILTRATION CAPACITY
Infiltration Rate
-is a measure of the rate at which a particular soil is able to absorb
water.
Infiltration Capacity
-the maximum amount of rainwater that can enter a soil in a given
time. (When this maximum is reached, the soil becomes saturated.)
MOISTURE ZONES
MOISTURE ZONES
Saturated Zone
-The pore space in this zone is filled with water or saturated. Depending on the length
of time elapsed from the initial application of the water, this zone will generally
extend only to a depth of a few millimeters.
Transition Zone
-This zone is characterized by a rapid decrease in water content with depth and will
extend approximately a few centimeters.
Transmission Zone
-This zone is characterized by a small change in water content with depth. In general,
the transmission zone is a lengthening unsaturated zone with uniform water content.
The hydraulic gradient in this zone is primarily driven by gravitational forces.
MOISTURE ZONES
Wetting Zone
–In this zone, the water content sharply decreases with depth from the water content
of the transmission zone to near the initial water content of the soil.
Wetting Front
–This zone is characterized by a steep hydraulic gradient and forms a sharp boundary
between the wet and dry soil. The hydraulic gradient is characterized primarily by
metric potentials.
MEASUREMENT OF INFILTRATION
Different Ways to Measure Infiltration
Flooding-type Infiltrometers
Measurement of subsidence of free water in a large basin or pond
Rainfall Simulator
Hydrograph Analysis
MEASUREMENT OF INFILTRATION
Two types of Flooding Type Infiltrometers
Simple Tube Infiltrometer
Double Ring Infiltrometer
MEASUREMENT OF
INFILTRATION
Two types of Flooding Type Infiltrometers
Simple Tube Infiltrometer
consists of a cylindrical metal tube with a
sharp edge that is pushed into the ground to
a depth of several inches
The tube is open at both ends and has a
known surface area
MEASUREMENT OF
INFILTRATION
Two types of Flooding Type Infiltrometers
Double Ring Infiltrometer
an instrument used to measure the rate
at which water infiltrates into the soil
consists of two concentric rings, one
placed inside the other.
MEASUREMENT OF
INFILTRATION
Measurement of subsidence of free water in a large basin or pond
involves filling a basin with water to a certain level and then allowing it
to infiltrate into the soil
the water level in the basin decreases, and this decrease is measured
over time as water infiltrates into the soil
MEASUREMENT OF
INFILTRATION
Rainfall Simulator
a device used to replicate natural
rainfall in a controlled
environment, such as a laboratory
or a field setting
consists of a nozzle or a series of
nozzles that spray water onto a soil
surface at a controlled rate and
intensity
MEASUREMENT OF
INFILTRATION
Hydrograph Analysis
A hydrograph is a graph that
shows the variation in streamflow
over time
The shape of the hydrograph
can provide insights into the
amount of water that has
infiltrated into the soil
MEASUREMENT OF
INFILTRATION
Hydrograph Analysis
Method that can be used to
measure infiltration, although it
is more commonly used to
analyze the response of a
watershed to precipitation events.
By analyzing the shape of the
hydrograph, researchers and
water managers can estimate the
amount of water that has
infiltrated into the soil and the
rate at which it is moving through
the watershed.
